


Ostentation

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Merpeople, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 00:49:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13986888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Ardyn’s fishtank is quiet but lovely.





	Ostentation

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fill for anon’s “Or maybe Noct has always been a merman. Either way, I want Ardyn keeping merman!Noct in an aquarium in his home” prompt on [the FFXV kinkmeme](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/4747.html?thread=9169291#cmt9169291).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Ardyn dismisses Ravus with a mere flick of his wrist, and Ravus rises out of the armchair, bending forward to gather his various reports off the coffee table. As he straightens out again, his eyes skim over Ardyn’s shoulder, fixing squarely on the aquarium. Ardyn doesn’t blame him. No one has a home quite like Ardyn’s. There’s no other building in all the world that can boast the exotic sights of Ardyn’s study. But Ravus quickly reins in his roaming gaze and sees himself out. The polished white door clicks neatly shut behind him.

For a moment, Ardyn just relaxes back into his couch. His meetings are always such dreadfully _dull_ affairs. But they are necessary, and without them, Ardyn would have no excuse to show off his favourite catch. Though he knows well the sight that Ravus greedily drunk in, Ardyn turns back to examine the wall of solid glass.

Behind it, to Ardyn’s immense disappointment, Noctis is curled over a coral-shaped rock, shoulders slumped and eyes closed. His dark hair wafts peacefully about his handsome face as the tank regulates the water’s flow. His long, shimmering tail is curled along the silk-soft sand. Lounging like a proverbial prince, it seems that once again, Ardyn’s greatest prize is doing little more than dosing. 

Ardyn taps the glass until Noctis stirs. His heavy lashes flutter halfway open, his tail lazily flicking out behind him. He gives Ardyn an empty stare, almost haughty in its wholly uninterested expectance. Ardyn sighs, “Do you have to be such a dreadfully _boring_ thing?” When Noctis’ gaze doesn’t falter, Ardyn reminds him, “You’re supposed to be my star attraction.”

Noctis looks at Ardyn like a cat might eye dog food—utterly indifferent. Then he slowly stretches out his pale arms, rising from the rock in a graceful arch. His gorgeous tail unfurls, the dark blue scales shimmering in the shifting light. In a flurry of bubbles and not another peep, Noctis swims across the room. He settles down again over a wide patch of uninterrupted sand, and he spreads out there on his stomach, arms crossed and serving for a pillow. He shuts his eyes, likely chasing further dreams.

Ardyn clicks his tongue. “With that attitude, I have half a mind not to feed you tonight.” Noctis gives him no reaction. And Ardyn can’t help his fond grin anyway. Even inert, the aquarium is still more breathtaking than anything the wall-length television in his theatre room could offer.

So Ardyn continues to admire his beautiful pet until the next meeting begins.


End file.
